Disgraced peer: no more charges

No further action will be taken against a disgraced peer following a second investigation into expenses fraud.

PUBLISHED: 12:43, Tue, Nov 13, 2012

Lord Hanningfield served nine weeks of a nine-month jail sentence after being convicted of falsely c [PA]

Lord Hanningfield, 71, from West Hanningfield, Essex, served nine weeks of a nine-month jail sentence after being convicted of falsely claiming £28,000 in parliamentary expenses last year.

Following his release, police launched a second investigation into his claims while he was leader of Essex County Council. City of London Police, which led the inquiry, now says Hanningfield has been released from police bail.

A spokesman said: "Allegations of unauthorised expenditure against a 71-year-old man from Essex, originally made to Essex Police by Essex County Council, have been fully investigated by the City of London Police economic crime directorate, after being referred to them in December 2011.

"Following a full review of the evidence obtained from this investigation and consultation with the CPS, a decision has been made to take no further action regarding these allegations as there is insufficient evidence to justify any criminal charges in this case. The police investigation into this matter is now closed."

Lord Hanningfield said in a statement: "I am relieved that this chapter has closed and that the police and CPS have confirmed I did nothing wrong."

He questioned the motivation behind Essex County Council's decision to make a complaint to police and called for a "thorough investigation".

"I now believe that the council must examine its actions, including the activities and motivations of those senior officials who ran and continue to run the authority," he added.

"My heart sinks to think of the hundreds of thousands of pounds that the council has spent on this exercise through the hiring of expensive lawyers and the time and energy that could have been spent on delivering services for the people of Essex."

Mark Spragg, consultant solicitor at Keystone Law, who represents Lord Hanningfield, said the decision to investigate the peer had seemed "politically motivated".